His Movie Review: The Clone Returns Home (2008)

Why he watched it: On a list of science fictions films to see

His rating: 4 out of 5 stars

His review: I was reminded of Duncan Jones Moon (2009) while watching this Japanese movie. It, like Jones’ movie, uses the story of a cloned astronaut to explore issues of identity and family. Although Jones’ movie came out a year after Nakajima’s, in terms of themes Nakajima’s picks up where Jones’ movie ends. Moon ends with the implied impact of Sam Rockwells’ clone returning home. The Clone Returns Home, as the title states, is about that impact (although this clone was never actually in outer space).

I really liked the quiet character study of this film, as it engages questions about the soul in a clone and the emotional resonance of a clone to his or his original’s family. The striking image of a clone carrying his spacesuited clone, which to others looks like a scarecrow of sticks and grass, works to visually convey the emotional and spiritual weight one clone has to another.

Overall, I thought this film worked better than Moon in using science fiction to explore what it means to be us, as we move closer and closer to a future where we can recreate ourselves.